A highly experimental feature shot on a paltry budget, this is nevertheless fascinating for its sophisticated structure involving stories within stories. A filmmaker’s journalist friend (Malmsten) works on a screenplay inspired by his encounters with a hapless prostitute (Svedlund), giving rise to an array of Bergman themes surrounding death, despair, the ills of the world, and the function of art.

+ Bris Soap Commercials
Sweden 1951. Dir Ingmar Bergman. 10min
During a strike that affected the Swedish film industry in 1951, Bergman – none too wealthy, and with three families to support – accepted a commission to shoot some short ads for Bris soap. His approach was imaginative and playful, and one of the spots featured the screen debut of a 15-year-old Bibi Andersson.